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Si Zentner

Simon Hugh Zentner (June 13, 1917 in New York City, United States – January 31, 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American trombonist and jazz big-band leader.

Zentner played in the bands of Les Brown, Harry James, and Jimmy Dorsey in the 1940s, then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a studio musician. He also landed a job with MGM from 1949 to the mid-50s, and was involved in the music for films such as Singin' in the Rain and A Star Is Born.

The Zentner band began recording for Liberty Records in 1959, recording numerous successful pop/jazz albums during the 1960s and touring steadily with a large outfit. Zentner was a tireless promoter and claimed to have played 178 consecutive one-night performances when the band was at its peak. His ensemble was voted "Best Big Band" for 13 straight years by Down Beat, and Zentner himself was voted Best Trombonist in Playboy Jazz Readers' Poll. In 1962, his album Up a Lazy River (Big Band Plays the Big Hits, Vol. 2) (arranged by Bob Florence) won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Zentner's success was thoroughly unusual; he had a thriving big band going at a time when big band music was, for the most part, on the wane. He suffered from leukemia late in life, though he continued performing into 1999; he died of the disease in early 2000.

Birth and Death Data: Born June 13, 1917 (New York City), Died January 31, 2000 (Las Vegas)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1958

Roles Represented in DAHR: trombone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 69 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca L 4335 12/9/1946 Shh! The old man's sleeping Hoagy Carmichael instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 4336 12/9/1946 Doctor , Lawyer , Indian chief Hoagy Carmichael instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 5575 4/25/1950 Cry, cry, cry Mildred Bailey instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 5576 4/25/1950 Blue prelude Mildred Bailey instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 6396 8/28/1951 Happiness is this Sonny Burke Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 6397 8/28/1951 Cocoanuts Sonny Burke Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 6398 8/28/1951 Mr. President Sonny Burke Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 6399 8/28/1951 Three cornered tune Sonny Burke Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7310 8/22/1953 A walkin' tune Ike Carpenter Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7311 8/22/1953 Sadie Thompson's song-1 Ike Carpenter Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7312 8/22/1953 Fantasy staccato Ike Carpenter Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7313 8/22/1953 Tengard Ike Carpenter Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7665 5/7/1954 I know why Modernaires instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7666 5/7/1954 That's you, that's me, that's love Modernaires instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 7667 5/7/1954 Mine! Mine! Mine! Modernaires instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 8660 9/8/1955 Only you Louis Armstrong instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 8661 9/8/1955 Christmas in New Orleans Louis Armstrong instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 8662 9/8/1955 Moments to remember Louis Armstrong instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 8663 9/8/1955 Christmas night in Harlem Louis Armstrong instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 9815 1/24/1957 Happy valley trek Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 9816 1/24/1957 Memphis march Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 9817 1/24/1957 Bobcats on parade Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 9818 1/24/1957 Skippin' John Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 10758 2/3/1958 I see your face before me Billy Bean ; John (Johnny) Pisano instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca L 10759 2/3/1958 Linger awhile Billy Bean ; John (Johnny) Pisano instrumentalist, trombone  
(Results 26-50 of 69 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Zentner, Si," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/352073.

Zentner, Si. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/352073.

"Zentner, Si." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/352073

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